Of Requirements and Distractions
by foreverforks
Summary: “I—er… Hello?” It wasn’t a very smart response, but it was all Hermione could come up with. Hermione roams the school in the morning seeking and finding peace in Cedric. AU Cedric lives-- It was meant to be, my classmate said so.


**AU:** So, this is my first one-shot in fanfiction. I kind of wanted non-canon pairings because that's what I'm good at… so don't wonder why I made a Cedric/Hermione one-shot. My first idea for this was an actual balcony but I found it hard to do—I mean, a SECRET balcony that no one in Hogwarts knows about but Cedric? Seriously? I mean, perhaps Dumbledore or Harry know about it. Or the elves! So I decided to go for Room of Requirement. I also have a thing for benches. I hope you like it. Please, please review!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter.

Hermione opened her eyes. She pulled the curtains of her four poster bed open and glanced at her alarm clock which was placed on top of her bedside table. It was two in the morning. It seemed a very long time for her—like the sun would come up any second now—laying there, waiting for sleep to overcome her, questions and frustrated thoughts filling her mind, when, in fact, it had only been two hours since midnight. Two hours ago that she had another row with Ron—about Viktor Krum, of all things! How dare he say she was _fraternizing_ with the enemy? Wasn't he the one longing for Viktor's autograph ever since he laid his bloody eyes on Viktor that day the Durmstrang students arrived? Ron doesn't understand. He doesn't understand a _lot_ of things.

Hermione tried to sleep once again, but she really couldn't. Her mind was just so _preoccupied_! That was the answer—she needed to take her mind off things. She got up from bed, snatched her wand from her bedside table and found a cloak and shoes to put on before she could change her mind. She put a Disillusionment Charm on herself—she read it in a book in the library, of course. She tiptoed as silently as she can to the door and opened it. She heard someone groan from behind her, she turned and saw that Lavender Brown just tossed in her bed but was still in deep sleep—probably having fantasies about Seamus, her date. Hermione released a breath she had been holding and continued outside and slowly shut the door close. She proceeded down the stairs and into the common room. It was not a surprise for Hermione that no one was in the common room, everyone _had_ to be tired from the Yule Ball—all the dancing, Merlin! It was good too, because if there _was_ someone there, they would've been surprised to hear a squeak comparable to that of a person who tripped on the carpet and fell. That person was, of course, Hermione. When Hermione recovered from her little accident, she stood and walked up through the portrait hole. She muttered "Thanks" to the Fat Lady and started to wander aimlessly around the corridors of her school. She noticed that none of the prefects were patrolling and neither was Filch. This surprised her a bit but she supposed they were tired from the Ball too.

She continued on walking, mind on her previous conversation—rather, argument—with Ron. She was suddenly distracted by the surface of the wall she was touching. It was uneven. Hermione uttered "Lumos" and her wand tip ignited. As she looked at her right, she saw that the uneven surface was a door—an ordinary door that she's never encountered before, to be exact. Hermione knew that she shouldn't—she didn't know what could be waiting for her there—but she did it. She laid her hand on the knob of the door and turned.

When Hermione saw what was on the other side of the door, she felt nothing but amazement. The moon was full and the stars were twinkling above. The door led to a balcony—a huge balcony, at that. It was filled with the most wonderful plants that seemed to magically last forever—or look that way, everything was so healthy—and the air was of the most wonderful scent. It was beautiful. It was like a fairy tale setting waiting to be discovered.

"Hello," said a soft voice. Hermione was startled and she immediately stepped back from the direction of the voice with a squeak. She was even _more _startled by whom that voice belonged to—Cedric Diggory. She didn't know what to do. She needed to think of an excuse—he was a prefect—but then her mind was blank. It was probably like that because of the smell. Yes, the wonderful smell of the flowers—it couldn't have anything to do with Cedric. Absolutely nothing to do with that mesmerizing, angelic smile on his face.

"I—er… Hello?"

It wasn't a very smart response, but it was all Hermione could come up with. It was a stupid thing to say in her present condition but something about it made Cedric's smile wider and every criticism she had for herself disappeared—she didn't know why, though.

"Would you like to sit with me?" he asked as he gestured to a bench behind him. Hermione looked away from his face and her eyes found the bench. It was light brown and it had delicately engraved designs on it. Beautiful would be the only word in her vocabulary to describe it. It's not good enough, though, because 'beautiful' would be an understatement, an offending thing to say to whoever made it. I tore my eyes away from the bench and looked at the boy standing in front of me once again. He was still smiling.

"Yes," Hermione said, then her eyes widened. She actually meant to say 'Alright'… to be more subtle, you know. Then again, she didn't think any girl would be in her right mind with Cedric.

It's not because he's handsome—well, it is quite a factor—it's who he is. He's a pretty clever guy, a prefect too. He's also very kind—helping those younger than him that are in need.

Hermione went back to reality and started walking towards him, cautious, and then sat the same time he sat.

"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm doing here? Or dock off some points from Gryffindor?" she blurted out.

He chuckled and said, "No. Well, I _am_ curious about why you're here," encouragingly.

Hermione didn't say anything. She was alert enough not to do so. She might not be in her right mind but she knew enough not to trust everyone. She didn't want to lose points for her house!

"I'm not going to take off points. I promise. If I do… you could tell Professor Sprout that I was out of bed too and _not_ for patrolling the corridors," he said with a melodic laugh, as if reading her mind.

Hermione sighed and told him my _stupid _reason—that she was roaming the school at two o' clock in the morning, trying to find a distraction, trying to sleep. And you know what he did? He did the unexpected—he laughed.

"Can't you count sheep or something?" he joked. And then he turned serious.

"That's why I'm here too. I couldn't handle all the pressure anymore. I needed to get away," he said to Hermione with a small smile.

"What is this place, anyway? I don't recall seeing this before…" Hermione murmured. She was overly curious at why he would feel pressure. It didn't look like it. But then, everyone has their moments.

"I'm not entirely sure… but I've asked around and the house elves down at the kitchen—I didn't attend dinner, so I was hungry—and one said that this was the Room of Requirement. Well, I required peace and a distraction… so I got it," he said as he beamed at her. Hermione just blushed in response.

"I saw what happened with Ron," he started, "Is he really like that?"

"If you mean stupid, shallow and dense, then yes. Of course," Hermione replied.

"I actually meant 'temperamental' but that'll do," Cedric said with a chuckle.

"He's just so—irritating. I don't understand how he could say those things to me. I thought he was my bestfriend!" Hermione cried. Tears started to form in her eyes and she did her best to keep them from falling but her sadness was greater than her determination. Tears fell.

"Oh, Hermione. Don't cry. He's just jealous," Cedric said. He reached for her and hugged her. Hermione was surprised but quickly found how warm and comfortable Cedric was, so she let it be. Her head was on his chest, her hands between them. She looked like a vulnerable child in Cedric's caring, giant arms.

* * *

Cedric didn't know what came over him. He just suddenly reached out for her. All he knew was that he needed to make her happy.

He relaxed completely as he felt Hermione relax. He ran his hand through her hair. Then, back and forth on her back to comfort her. He continued this until Hermione finally calmed down. Then, he pulled away. She seemed okay when he looked at her. No—she was beautiful. Tears tracks on her face glistened under the moonlight. Her cheeks were a glorious pink and her lips were a deep red.

Attraction, confusion and enlightenment were some of the many emotions Cedric felt that moment. Oh, and what's this? _Love._ Love in its highest form. Love for this bushy haired—not-so-bushy hair right now, anyway—once buck-teethed, _beautiful _woman in front of him.

Cedric couldn't stop himself. He kissed her.

* * *

_Cedric kissed me?_

That was all Hermione could think about whilst Cedric kissed her. She couldn't respond for the first five seconds and Cedric started to pull away and tried to say 'Sorry' but Hermione cut him off before he could even utter the word. She grabbed him by the collar and kissed him fiercely.

It was nothing that they ever experienced before. It felt _so_ right. Like something that should've happened long time ago. The kiss slowly turned to a slow, deliberate one.

They would need no words for later. Cedric poured all his love into that kiss and Hermione did too. That one meeting—that one kiss made them realize how much they love each other and what could be.

* * *

Hermione stood up as she saw Cedric come out of the maze. She immediately ran to him and tackled him to the ground.

"I was so worried about you! How's Harry?" she asked.

"Harry—he's—the cup was a portkey, Mione!" he managed to say.

"What?" Hermione said in shock. There were many others around them but they didn't seem to notice—that is, until Dumbledore approached them.

"A portkey, my dear? Are you sure?" He interrupted.

"Yes, sir," Cedric said surely but shakily.

"Why don't you take a seat, Mr. Diggory? Please do accompany him Ms. Granger," Dumbledore told them. Hermione could tell that his mind was elsewhere. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but her love for Cedric outweighed her curiosity.

"Are you hurt, Ced?" she asked softly.

"I'm not. I'm just worried about Harry. I don't know what happened to him," he admitted.

As he said those words, a thud was heard through the Field.

_Harry_, Hermione thought.

Harry didn't look so hurt but his face showed shock. Hermione saw people rush to him and saw how he struggled to get to Dumbledore. When he finally got there, he whispered something to him and the alarm on his face was evident.

"Everyone, attention please," Dumbledore said with authority.

"The winners will be announced tomorrow. For now, please get to your dorms. You may celebrate in you common rooms."

At this, Hermione turned to Cedric but before she could speak, Harry interrupted.

"You know, you almost lost each other," he said.

"What do you mean, Potter?" Cedric asked.

"I mean that if ever you didn't humble yourself down like you did, you would've been killed because that portkey would've brought us to where Voldemort's father's buried and he would've had you killed. If you didn't do what you did, you'd be dead and Mione would be by your body's side," Harry said without interruption, and then he left.

When everything finally sank in, Cedric took Hermione and held her close.

"Thank God, Cedric."

"I love you, Mione."

"I love you, Cedric."

**AN:** I know, I know. It was the crappiest ending EVER. Sorry. Review?


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